Part 1 June 2010

What more can I write about it that I didn’t write already?

Maysie on June 12 2010

Maysie on June 26 2010

Maysie on June 26/27 2010

So, what’s still outstanding? Some activists who were preemptively arrested are still in jail. Some of those that have been tried and released are subject to appalling parole terms that severely restrict their legitimate movements in their communities.

It seems the mass violation of the civil rights of over 1000 people was a smokescreen.

Such violations go on everyday in this city and province on a smaller scale and against folks who don’t have access to blogs, embedded journalists and cel phone cameras. It’s wrong no matter who the targets are of course. But it was a fun party for the cops both local and imported, to harass, intimidate and fuck up the lives of activists across the country.

Hey, guess what, assholes? It didn’t work. Suppression never does.

Part 2 June 25 2011

The G20 redux rally, one year later. Standing on the grass at Queen’s Park, the site of some of the worst caught-on-video footage of the mass police violent actions, I felt a chill, despite the muggy humid feel of the air that afternoon. A few hundred of us yelled, clapped, screamed and called out “shame”. Hearing speakers like Judy Rebick and Brigitte DePape reminded me, and energized me.

Toronto has indeed returned to business as usual, and while I support the call for a public inquiry and investigation of the police, all that will emerge, at best will be a few token officers slapped with meaningless fines. Blair resigning or being fired won’t change anything. Not will the McGuinty government be held accountable, or the RCMP, or whoever was directing the police actions that weekend last year.

The cameras installed for “public safety” at various intersections haven’t been removed, of course. Don’t think we haven’t noticed, fuckwads.

I look around. Activists are wearing t-shirts… “I went to the G20 and all I got was (tick one) []kettled []politicized []arrested”. It’s cute and good for a cynical laugh. But not so cute or funny for those arrested, and those still imprisoned.

I was at the rally and march last year. When my city was invaded by outsiders, mostly white male armed agents of the state, tasked to intimidate and aggress against the citizenry doing legal and legitimate actions.

And when the outsiders left, we remain. It’s our fucking city after all.

Part 3 July 1 2011

My friend S and I had an early morning jaunt to a small not-well-known beach on Ward’s Island. I had forgotten it was Canada Day, and was glad we were avoiding Centre Island. We had a lovely few hours on the beach, reading, talking, snacking, swimming, then at 1pm packed up our stuff to head “back to the city”.

I ended up at Queen’s Park subway, waiting for the eastbound 506 streetcar, at around 2pm on Canada Day. I gazed north to the Queen’s Park lawn. I reflected I had been there just last week.

Vendors were set up, and streams of people, the many hues and languages of the city I love, adults and children, were walking about, smiling, happy, holding red and white paper Canadian flags.

And I wondered.

Is this the only legitimate way people can take up public space? In sanctioned-by-the-government-of-the-day activities?

Fuck that.

We will continue to protest, and we will continue to take up public space.

Another world is possible.